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NASA News

The International Space Station has a new control moment gyroscope, which is in the process of being checked out by Mission Control.

Mission Specialists Dave Williams and Rick Mastracchio completed a spacewalk that has been in the works since one of the station’s four gyroscopes – which control orientation – failed in October. Williams carried the 600-pound replacement to its new home on the Z1 segment of the station truss, and stored the failed equipment on the outside of the station. It will be returned home on a future shuttle mission.

The second of four spacewalks scheduled for Endeavour’s mission, this was the 90th spacewalk devoted to station maintenance and construction. Williams and Mastracchio left the station at 10:32 a.m. and spent 6 hours and 28 minutes outside.

Inside, Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, and Mission Specialists Tracy Caldwell and Barbara Morgan, as well as station Flight Engineer Clay Anderson, supported the spacewalk by operating the station and shuttle’s robotic arms and coordinating the activities with Mission Control. Meanwhile, Mission Specialist Alvin Drew worked on transferring equipment and supplies brought up by the shuttle to the station.

On the ground, mission managers are still reviewing tests and analysis of a small section of the shuttle’s thermal protection system that was damaged during launch. The tests will include subjecting intentionally damaged tiles to heat and pressure comparable to shuttle reentry conditions. Depending on the results of the tests, spacewalkers could be called upon to repair the damage no earlier than the mission’s fourth spacewalk, planned for Friday.

The crew is scheduled to go to sleep at 9:06 p.m., and awaken at 5:06 a.m. Their schedule for Tuesday involves a variety of events and duties, including an interactive educational event with children at the Boise, Idaho, Discovery Center; the 50,000th orbit of the station’s Russian Zarya module; robotic installation of a stowage platform outside the station and preparation for Wednesday’s third spacewalk.

The next status report will be issued Tuesday morning or earlier if events warrant.